


someone to lean on

by prithivas



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24166138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prithivas/pseuds/prithivas
Summary: This was the first time Lysithea was speaking with her, she realised. She'd seen the brunette around the monastery but never really had a reason to talk to her, though she was aware of her popularity among not only the students but almost everyone. Right now, she was frowning; Lysithea had never seen her frown before.(A support chain for Dorothea and Lysithea.)
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault & Lysithea von Ordelia
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	1. C Support

**Author's Note:**

> Although I've written this as solely dialogues I didn't want to post it like that, so this is a bit longer and more detailed than actual supports in the game. Hope you enjoy!

She wasn't sure how long she had been in the library for, but Lysithea probably had spent more time in here than she'd anticipated. Though there was nothing to be done; she couldn't perfect the Luna tome, and she didn't plan on leaving until she did. There was no one else left, so she could study in solitude, without any distractions. So she kept reading and reading, blinking repeatedly whenever her eyes got blurry; she slapped herself once in a while to not fall asleep. It was working, she was starting to grasp it better, until-

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

Lysithea dropped the book in her hands on the desk with a loud shriek. She looked around the dark library to detect where the voice had come from, but it was hard to make out anything. Was it... a ghost? Could it be-

"Who's out there?" She tried not to let her fear show, but she wasn't doing a great job.

"It's Dorothea!" Footsteps approached and the person came in her view. "I'm sorry to have scared you like that."

This was the first time Lysithea was speaking with her, she realised. She'd seen the brunette around the monastery but never really had a reason to talk to her, though she was aware of her popularity among not only the students but almost everyone. Right now, she was frowning; Lysithea had never seen her frown before.

"It's... It's fine," she let out with great difficulty. Her throat was dry- when was the last time she'd drank water?

"Oh dear, are you okay?" The concern in her voice was clear as day, though it felt too... sugary. She couldn't think of any other word to explain it. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Ghost?" She did not mean to squeal, but it was out of her control. "No- no I'm quite alright. Thank you."

"You look like you're about to collapse. Is there anything I can do?"

Suddenly, Lysithea was filled with irritation. She was being babied, of course, as always. "I assure you, Dorothea. There is nothing to worry about. I'm only studying."

"At this hour? I think you're unaware of how late it is." Dorothea stepped closer. "You should probably go to rest. Would you like me to walk you back to your room?"

"Are you concerned that I would be unable to find my way back?" she asked bitterly.

Dorothea raised her eyebrows. "No, absolutely not! I was just concerned-"

"My wellbeing is hardly _your_ concern, Dorothea. I'm doing just fine." She went back to reading her book. "Now I would like to be left alone."

It was silent then, but Lysithea noticed the other girl wasn't leaving the library. "You know," Dorothea started after a while. She sounded less _sugary_ compared to before. "I was simply offering my help, out of courtesy, it wouldn't hurt to at least be polite and appreciate it."

Lysithea stared at her, getting angrier every second. "Why would I appreciate your _mothering_ when it's interfering with my studies? Please just leave, I can not afford to fall behind."

"You're not the only one who works hard here," Dorothea said, voice rising steadily. "But you don't see anyone else tearing themselves to pieces while doing so."

"Maybe instead of caring about what I do," she got up from her seat, not being able to contain her fury anymore. "You could mind your business and go find some knight to flatter as usual!"

Dorothea gaped at her, looking genuinely hurt for a split second before her anger was clear on her face yet again. "And how is that any of _your_ business?" They were both barking at each other now. "Good thing you don't have to think about your own future. Because of course, yours is already secured as a _noble!_ "

"Or maybe I don't even have a future _in the first place!_ " she screamed at her face.

It only took a moment for regret and the fear to settle in, as she looked away from Dorothea, whose eyes have grown bigger than before, the anger replaced by shock. When Lysithea turned her back to her, she was on the verge of tears. Her heart was beating too fast.

"Please just... Just leave me alone," she pleaded, voice barely above a whisper.

A few seconds later, she heard hesitant footsteps and was once again alone in the library.


	2. B Support

Dorothea stepped into the library with a tray in her hands, relieved to see Lysithea- she'd been afraid of not being able to find her in there. She was reading a book in silence, but her eyes were half-closed. The sight was a little concerning; after all, it was still quite early, unlike last time she had visited, but she decided not to comment on it. "Hey, Lysithea."

Despite the fact that she had spoken as softly as possible, Lysithea still jumped a little at the sudden distraction. When her eyes landed on Dorothea, she looked more awake than before, and maybe a little bit dumbfounded. "Um, Dorothea." She cleared her throat, closing the book in her hands. "Is there anything you need?"

"No, not really. I just," she put down the tray in front of her, sitting down. "I got you some tea and sweets! I was told _this_ one is your favourite, hm?" It was a strawberry treat that she had to beg for Annette to make, who was the person that told about Lysithea's preferences in the first place.

Predictably, though a little surprisingly, the girl's eyes went wide. "Woah!" she exclaimed, full of excitement. "This is-"

Then, she stopped abruptly to look at Dorothea in the eye. "I mean," she mumbled and it was clear she was feeling rather embarrassed all of a sudden. "You didn't have to..."

Dorothea giggled at her sweetly, in an attempt to ease whatever worries she had. "I know, but you can take this as an apology for last time." She stopped for a moment to think about what had happened, before starting to talk again - slower this time. "I still feel bad about our conversation."

Lysithea took her time saying anything back. "Truthfully, me too. For what is worth, I am genuinely sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"We all get grumpy at times, I get it. But... have you been resting enough? You know, after-"

"Dorothea," she said sternly, not bothering to show her annoyance.

"Right! Sorry, no _mothering_. I just couldn't help but worry, seeing you like that." She sighed and grabbed one of the treats just to take a look at them. Annette had done a great job. "Look, I had not meant to condemn you at all. To be honest, I'm not even sure how the argument truly started."

Lysithea pouted at her. "It was unpleasant for both of us, let's just forget about it, shall we?"

Dorothea nodded. "Sure... But, Lysithea?"

"Yeah?" She also took a treat and took a bite out of it, seemingly content. Dorothea couldn't help but smile.

"Whatever is going on, I really would not mind helping you out. You were right, it's not my concern and you can deal with it yourself, but sometimes it feels good to know that there is someone that you can lean on, doesn't it?"

It was quite hilarious in the end, because although it was true, if it was someone telling _her_ the exact same words, she wouldn't take them seriously. It sure felt good, but would anyone ever offer to be there for her, and truly mean it? Probably not. But now, her love and compassion were all that she had to offer to Lysithea, and she _did_ truly care about her wellbeing.

She was not lying to the younger girl, the way people had lied to her. She was simply offering her friendship in her own way.

Lysithea swallowed the piece in her mouth before answering. "I appreciate it, Dorothea, but there's something you should know."

"What is it?"

"I do not like being treated like a child," she admitted. "It makes me feel like people are underestimating me and my work. I see that you don't have bad intentions, but it still makes me uncomfortable to even think of being dependent on someone."

Dorothea almost felt disappointed but nodded anyway.

"However, I could accept your offer if you allow me to help you out as well."

That, she wasn't expecting. "Huh?"

"As much as you don't know about my issues, I don't know about yours either; and I'm well aware that everyone deals with their own problems, including you. So, I will accept your kindness only if you promise to do the same yourself." She stopped for a moment, looking down. "After all, co-dependency is important in a friendship."

"You consider us to be friends?" Dorothea asked. She was completely taken off guard with Lysithea's statement.

"I am _hoping_ that we will be, after this conversation," she flushed.

Dorothea smiled at her, unsure of how to answer. When she'd come to the library, she was not expecting anything from Lysithea, not even for her to accept her apology. But then Lysithea had offered her support when she had absolutely no reason to. And maybe, just maybe, Dorothea could believe that she had meant it, that she would truly be there for her.

"That... would be wonderful, Lysithea." They drank tea in comfortable silence after that.


	3. B+ Support

Although the sun wasn't entirely out of sight yet, Lysithea noticed that it was eerily silent around. There were only a few students in sight and they all seemed to be heading towards the dormitories. She didn't entirely know why she was following them, but her legs seemed to have a mind on their own as they carried her in the direction of her room. Normally, she would be studying at this hour, but...

"Hey, Lysie!" Dorothea was walking towards her with a sweet smile. Lysithea hadn't even realised she was there- had she been paying attention to her surroundings? "It's good to see you. Are you headed to the library?"

Normally, the answer would be _yes, I am,_ because that was her daily routine, but this time she answered, "Actually, no. I haven't been feeling up to my spirits today."

"Oh dear," Dorothea said, and Lysithea could tell she was trying not to seem too concerned. "What's going on?"

What _was_ going on? She was quite aware of it, interestingly, but normally she wouldn't be. More often than not, Lysithea was too single-minded to consider anything else outside the goal she had set for herself for the time being. But right now, her mind couldn't seem to be able to focus on anything at all.

"Lysie?"

She snapped out of it to stare at Dorothea, whose concern was becoming more and more visible. "I think," she started, "I'm too tired... to study."

The brunette's eyes widened. "Is that so?" She sounded surprised, and Lysithea couldn't blame her - she was just as surprised as her. "Well, I'm actually glad to see that you are aware of it this time."

"I've come to realise that pushing myself too far wouldn't get me anywhere." She didn't mention it was _her_ that helped her realise this, mostly.

"I see," Dorothea nodded. "Then would you like me to accompany you to your room?"

And Lysithea'd heard her ask the same question before, the day they had fought. She thought she'd been accused of not being able to go to her room herself, and oh how _stupid_ that sounded now that she was aware it was just an act of kindness. Dorothea wasn't babying her, she was simply being a good person. A good, trustworthy friend. _Someone to lean on._ Lysithea contemplated.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Dorothea added hurriedly before she could answer. "I didn't mean to do that again..."

"Hey, Dorothea," she started slowly, looking around to see if anyone was listening to them. There were only a handful of students around, and they were all pretty far away.

"Yes? Is something the matter?"

Lysithea looked down. "There's something I want to share with you... I feel like I trust you enough to talk about it."

Dorothea stilled, her mouth slightly hung open, but nodded for her to continue.

"Do you remember when we argued, I told you I don't have a future?" She nodded once again after a beat. "Well, you were right, I _do_ supposedly have a future as an heir to House Ordelia. However, there's more to that. It's not certain... how much time I still have left." Lysithea looked up to see Dorothea's confusion and hurriedly looked back down, forcing herself to continue.

"I... didn't really have a pleasant childhood. There were some experiments, and as a result, I was told that my lifespan was greatly reduced. I have a limited amount of time in my hands and I want to make use of it."

Dorothea's eyes were glistening with tears. "Oh, Lysithea... That's why you're pushing yourself so hard?"

Lysithea nodded. "I can't afford to rest. While I still can, I have to keep getting better so that I can help my family as much as possible."

For a solid minute, neither of them spoke to each other.. _Vulnerability_ , she thought as she tried to recollect herself. _How scary_. And yet, she felt so light for the first time in her life.

"I wish I could've-" Dorothea whispered, but cut herself off. She took a deep breath before starting again. "Thank you for telling me this, Lysithea, and if you allow me, I would like to talk about something too."

Lysithea frowned. "Dorothea, don't feel obliged to-"

"We promised to lean on one another, haven't we?" She breathed in. "It's only fair if I explain myself as well. I trust you too, Lysithea."

They looked at each other for a moment. Lysithea exhaled and nodded for her to continue, giving Dorothea her full attention.

"You already know that I'm a commoner, so I surely don't have a _land_ or _duties_ to attend to. But truly, I don't have... anything." She scoffed. "I grew up as an orphan on the streets, after me and my mother were kicked out. She died soon after that... So I was all by myself until I was brought to Mittelfrank."

She smiled bitterly. "I finally felt like I had a reason to live, giving people what they want, entertaining them; I don't think I've ever felt happier. But after Manuela left, I realised this, too, would soon come to an end. After all, I'm not gonna be this beautiful all my life, right?"

"I somehow doubt that," Lysithea whispered, slowly digesting the information.

Dorothea giggled, but the usual _sugar_ in her tone was gone. Had Lysithea known better, she would say the girl almost sounded embarrassed. "I tried my best to get into the academy, and I did! But now, I have nowhere to go after I leave. So I try to find someone to hold onto, to not go back to the streets. A person is much more reliable than anything else I've held onto."

Silence settled in once again, and Lysithea noticed how relieved Dorothea seemed. "I'm sorry for what I've said when we argued," she offered the brunette a smile. "but I'm glad you trusted me enough to talk about it."

And when Dorothea smiled back at her, Lysithea knew she wasn't _pretending_ to smile. She looked genuinely content in the warmth of the sunset. "Now, enough with the sadness, let's get you to your room."

When they parted ways, Lysithea was still smiling.


	4. A Support

The monastery had taken a lot of damage during the past five years, Dorothea noticed: everything was being rebuilt from the scratch, yet they all were aware that it would never be the same as before. The memories she had attached to this place weren't all good, but certainly, she cherished the good ones. And now, being here after all these years felt so weird, yet it felt like home.

It was bittersweet, but she was glad to be here nevertheless.

Familiar faces surrounded her, but there was someone in particular she was looking for: the white-haired mage sitting in the old classroom, reading a book about dark magic. The sight was very nostalgic, making Dorothea miss those days back in the academy, and had it not been the changes in her appearance Dorothea would've thought no time had passed since then.

"Lysie, it's been a while since we've seen each other, hasn't it?"

There were no signs of surprise when Lysithea looked up at her, face immediately lightening up. "Indeed, it has." She closed to book in a hurry and got up, making it obvious that she'd definitely grown taller in the last few years; she was able to meet her eyes without looking too high up now. "It's good to see you again, Dorothea."

"Good to see you too!" The brunette held a hand out. "Would you like to join me for some tea in my room? I think I still have your favourite."

Lysithea chuckled. "As long as I'm the one brewing..."

The walk to Dorothea's room was quiet, and she realised how much she'd missed the times they've been together in complete silence. It was nice, to be able to be with someone and feel comfortable without having to try so hard, without filling the silence with useless chatter. Lysithea's presence itself was comfortable, Dorothea realised; though of course there were still times that Lysithea was absolutely terrifying. The fight they had in the library... no matter what happened, she hadn't forgotten about it. They had forgiven each other a long time ago, yet as they walked, she still felt guilt slipping through the cracks. 

_"Maybe I don't even have a future in the first place!"_

Lysithea had grown so much, but how was she supposed to feel about that?

* * *

Of course, as soon as the tea was ready, Lysithea took a piece of the cake she'd been eyeing since the moment they entered the room. "This tastes great, Dorothea!" she exclaimed, one hand covering her full mouth. Her excitement was entertaining to watch. "Where did you get it from?"

Dorothea took a sip from her tea before answering with a grin. "Would you believe me if I said I baked it?"

Lysithea's eyes grew wide. "No way..."

"Well, I still got some help, but I was the one who did most of the work!" She sighed dramatically. "Ah, the horrible things I've gone through in the kitchen! Horrible!"

Though she giggled at Dorothea's words, Lysithea looked serious. "You didn't have to go through all that trouble..."

"Please, it really wasn't a bother! I was just exaggerating."

Lysithea sighed. "Sure... I appreciate the effort, but if I get sick, be ready to take responsibility."

And the mention of sickness caused Dorothea to freeze, as she stared at her friend happily sip her tea. She wished it hadn't, wished her mind didn't immediately go there, but with the war going on and death surrounding them, it was nearly impossible. She closed her eyes and tried to gather her thoughts before looking back at a mildly concerned Lysithea. "Hey, I have something to admit."

"I'm listening." She put down her teacup and gave her full attention to the woman.

"Since the war started," Dorothea started quietly, "I've been thinking about the future more and more often... What's going to happen tomorrow? Will I be able to see past it? Every single day it only keeps getting worse, with so many people dying." She looks down at her hands - the hands that have taken so many lives. "And I am not going to say I understand what you've been through, what you're _going_ through, but I've come to realise something."

"Dorothea..."

She smiled involuntarily, looking back at Lysithea. "During the past five years, I've been wandering around to help as many people as possible. I've mostly been taking care of the children whose parents have been killed, trying to make their lives better - as much as possible, you know?" She was trying her hardest not to cry, but she couldn't stop her voice from wavering. "They were alone and so scared, but I watched them get better with time; not completely alright, though better nevertheless..."

They sat in silence as Dorothea tried to recollect herself. Lysithea leaned in and squeezed her arm reassuringly. "Lysithea... I know it's uncertain how long you will live for, but I want you to have the best life possible. And if there's a way to help you, I want to try... I want to be there for you."

Lysithea opened her mouth, then closed it immediately. She looked surprised, but more importantly, touched. Had it been 5 years ago, she surely would've been mad at her for saying such things. "That's... that's sweet of you, Dorothea... But what about _your_ life? What happened to finding a spouse?"

Dorothea sighed bitterly. "Knowing that every breath I take could be my last, it would be absurd of me to keep looking for someone to lean on. Besides, I already have many people that I know will be here with me through everything that's about to come." She smiled at Lysithea and squeezed her arm the same way she did. "I have my friends here, I have you. Right now, there's nothing more I could ask for."

There was another moment of silence, where Lysithea looked at her, speechless. _I guess that was rather embarrassing_ , Dorothea thought; she hadn't meant to be so sappy.

"Still," Lysithea said softly, averting her gaze, "I want you to live a good life too, you deserve it as much as me... I want to- I want to support you for as long as I can." When she looked back, there were tears in her eyes, and Dorothea couldn't hold hers in any longer. "You know what I think? We will come out of this war alive, both of us. I _know_ it."

"How can you be sure?" Dorothea can't help but ask, covering her mouth to muffle her sobs. "How could you possibly know that?"

"Maybe I don't," she admits while wiping away the tears, "but I want to believe that we will be okay. With you here, I suppose I could bear thinking about the future."

"I-" Dorothea started sobbing harder. It wasn't anything near a promise, and she knew they could still die at any given moment, but something about the way she said it was convincing enough, somehow. _They would make it out alive, they would be alright._ Because she was right there, in front of her, and it was easy enough to believe that everything would be just fine.

"I want to believe that as well... I really do."

Their teas had already gone cold by the time they finished crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they _do_ make it out alive.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it! This ended up being more detailed than I'd planned, but I couldn't help myself... If you need me, you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/edlethea).


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